In computers and other electronic equipment, circuit boards are utilized to which are mounted numerous electrical and electronic components. Smaller circuit cards are utilized to establish electrical connections to a larger circuit board in a manner that permits removal and disconnection, by inserting an edge of the card into a receptacle connector mounted on the board and containing an array of contacts connected to circuits of the board; contact sections of the contacts are exposed within a card-receiving cavity of the connector that engage circuit pads on the card surfaces upon card insertion. It has become useful to secure certain cards within larger modules so that components mounted on the card are protected by the module covers during handling. Such modules need to be accurately guided during mating with the receptacle connector so that the leading end of the enclosed card is accurately received into the card-receiving cavity of the connector, since the module covers inhibit accurate visual alignment of the card with the cavity. It is known to provide elongate guide members projecting from the board from ends of receptacle connectors to facilitate mating in similar situations. Such elongate guide members may be mounted on the circuit board substantially prior to their actual use during module mating.
It is desired to provide a system for guiding the module during mating with the receptacle connector. It is also desired to provide module guides that maintain a low profile prior to module mating.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. (Whitaker Case No. 16929) filed Apr. 20, 1998 and assigned to the assignee hereof, is disclosed an assembly that includes a frame mountable on the circuit board surrounding the receptacle connector or optionally as an integral portion of the connector housing. At opposed ends of the frame are mounted respective guide members containing inwardly facing channels precisely aligned with the card-receiving cavity of the connector. The guide members are pivotably secured to the frame, so that the members may be pivoted to a recumbent orientation parallel to the circuit board when a module is not mated to the connector, and be pivoted to an erect position for use.
It is desired to provide latches on retention guides that are manually actuatable and accommodate a range of insertion depths of a module or terminator card.